Cruising Halong Bay

Typhoon Rammasun almost preempted our cruise of Halong Bay, but once again the weather gods blessed us.  Even though our guide called the cruise company several times over the two days preceding our trip, including multiple times during the drive from Hanoi to Halong City, we didn't know whether we would be able to board until we arrived at the cruise terminal. All trips out on the bay had been cancelled for three days due to the storm. Lucky for us, the wind and rain stopped and the sun came out just before we were scheduled to leave on our cruise.





We were met by the crew on the pier in Halong City, where we boarded our Vietnamese junk with anticipation.  While our boat was large with 14 cabins, there were only 10 other passengers on board.  Our cabins were more spacious and luxurious than on a typical cruise ship, with teak paneling and vases of roses in each cabin.

Photo credit:  Emily

Photo credit:  Emily

We settled into our cabins and then set off immediately to explore the bay.  We watched the islands and ships go by as we enjoyed a multi-course lunch.  Then we set off in kayaks to explore a floating village, complete with a school and museum.  It was fascinating to see how people lived on the bay; most seemed to subsist by fishing.  One of our favorite sites was the floating mini-mart that approached our boat.  An elderly woman in a fishing boat held up a can of Pringles to see if we'd like to purchase a snack.  Who knew that Pringles were available in tiny fishing villages?

Photo credit:  Emily

The second day we boarded a private day boat to explore more remote areas of the bay.  Our family had the boat to ourselves for the day, with the exception of a crew of 4.  We were pleasantly surprised to learn that the day boat was quite large, with a dining room, large air conditioned lounging area, huge sundeck with chaises and tables and chairs, bathrooms and showers.  This boat also towed kayaks, which enabled us to take excursions to explore caves and lagoons.  In addition, we were ferried by bamboo boat to a pearl farm, where we learned all about cultivation and took a tour to see each step in the process.

Once again we were served a multi-course Vietnamese lunch consisting of local seafood and vegetables.  While there was much more food than we could possibly eat, it was fun to try a number of traditional dishes prepared with local ingredients.  I could get used to having a personal chef and waiter....  While we were enjoying lunch another junk sailed by.  We looked across and saw that the passengers of the other boat were also enjoying lunch.  Much to our amazement, we recognized three of the other passengers as the family from Wales who joined us as elephant caretakers at Patara in Thailand.  It truly is a small world!

Photo credit:  Emily

On the third day we disembarked to visit Ti Top island, named after the Russian cosmonaut Gherman Stepanovich Titov who holidayed on the island with Ho Chi Minh in the 1960s.  We climbed to the top of the "mountain" to see territorial views and the 1969 islands and islets within the bay.  After the climb we descended to swim and sun on the beach.  The water wasn't as pristine as we had hoped; we were surprised to see litter floating in the water.  Throughout our trip I've thought of the benefits of environmental regulations -- and the impact of dense population without the standards to which we're accustomed.

Photo credit:  Emily

Evening activities on the boat were simple but fun.  We attended cooking demonstrations and learned how to cut fruit and vegetable garnishes (not nearly as easy as it looks) and how to roll fresh spring rolls.  Mark and I enjoyed watching movies set in Vietnam while the girls tried their hands at squid fishing off the boat.  After two long evenings of effort, Emily caught two squid with her bamboo line. We were amazed to see how much ink one squid could squirt, and how much they jumped around in the bowl!  While I advocated for catching and releasing the squid, the crew opted to cook and eat them instead.

At the end of the cruise we were sorry to get off the boat.  We enjoyed the relaxation and leisurely exploration.  We braced ourselves to return to the chaos of Hanoi.           - Michelle

Photo credit:  Emily

Hanoi

We spent three days in Hanoi, Vietnam after leaving Luang Prabang. We spent the first day walking around the lake in the middle of downtown, exploring monuments and an old Chinese temple. We walked to the local boutique mall to cool off for a while and spent half an hour or so gawking at the shops. I think the only time we’ve seen Louis Vuitton, Versace, and more in one spot is on the Champs Elysees!

The French Quarter (Photo  Credit: Becca)

The Opera House in the French Quarter (Photo credit: Becca)

Apparently they've got a bull statue too! (Photo Credit: Becca)

After cooling off, we walked around the French Quarter before settling down in a cafe to people-watch. The traffic in Vietnam is quite a sight! There are minimal traffic lights, many mopeds and no apparent rules. Although small always yields to big here, the moped hordes may as well be considered the kings of the road.  Motorbikes drive everywhere -- on sidewalks, the wrong way down one-way streets, through red lights, down alleyways crowded with pedestrians and bicycles….  Adding to the chaos of the motorbikes is the constant honking heard everywhere.  Cars and trucks honk as they approach other vehicles, as if to say, “I’m coming and I’m big -- you’d better move!”

Some people watching and a caramel coffee...with huge square jellies! (Photo Credit: Becca)

To cross the road is pretty tricky and requires an approach opposite of that used at home.  Instead of waiting for traffic to stop before crossing, you set out at a slow and steady pace and trust the oncoming bikes scooters, cars, and trucks to swerve around you. There is no such thing as a lull in traffic; you just have to walk across as oncoming traffic zips past. Dad, Emily, Sarah and I learned this technique quickly.  Mom was less successful.

We were surprised to see how much living Hanoi residents do outdoors in the city.  People are out on the sidewalks at all hours, dining in large groups around small plastic tables on tiny plastic chairs, socializing on freeway embankments, practicing tai chi and playing hackey sack and badminton in the park.  People are everywhere!

Later, we walked to Hoa Lo, a prison museum. Hoa Lo was called Maison Centrale during Vietnam’s time as a French colony. The French leveled a Vietnamese pottery village and built one of the largest prisons in the nation to house political prisoners and other wrong doers. During the Vietnam War, Hoa Lo was home to many American prisoners of war who were shot down in their planes.  The prison was known to the POWs -- John McCain spent some time in here -- as “Hanoi Hilton.”  We were able to learn about living conditions in the prison under both French and Vietnamese control.

The entrance to Hoa Lo (Photo Credit: Becca)

The justice building next door to Hoa Lo, originally used by the French, now the People's Court (Photo Credit: Becca)

Leaving Hoa Lo behind, we then returned to the main street circling the lake in order to go to the water puppet theater. We saw a traditional water puppet show, which combined lacquered puppets, traditional Vietnamese music and folk tales. It was very interesting to see how dragons, unicorns, tortoises and phoenixes are all considered important beings in Vietnamese folk tales.  Flames and smoke added an extra element of interest to the show.  The puppeteers stand in waist deep water and control the puppets with hidden bamboo poles and strings.

During our second day in Hanoi, the typhoon that was predicted hit us. Luckily most of the storm was directed north of us, so we only got rain for the day. We started out the day at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. There, we walked in a quiet line, on red flooring, through a very cold stone building. Monitored by guards, we walked through a room that held Ho Chi Minh’s body. Surprisingly, he was not just in a crypt or coffin, but embalmed and on display for all to see under the hammer and sickle and Vietnamese flag. The guards were very strict and enforced quiet, respectful behavior.  One reprimanded Emily for walking with her hands in her pockets; this must be perceived to be disrespectful.  Walking out, we then visited the Royal Palace, Ho Chi Minh’s childhood home on stilts, the Politburo’s meeting room and the Ho Chi Minh Museum.

Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum, we weren't allowed to take pictures inside (Photo Credit: Becca) 

One of Uncle Ho's many cars, this one is a Peugot (Photo Credit: Becca)

The rain was still coming down upon exiting the museum, so we decided to go watch a movie. We saw A Million Ways to Die in The West in English with Vietnamese subtitles. Although the movie was not very good, the best part was seeing which parts the audience found funny! Later that night we had banh mi for the first time in Vietnam. It was very good!

-Becca

Laid Back Luang Prabang

After leaving Thailand, we stayed for four days in Luang Prabang in the north of Laos. This UNESCO World Heritage site has its own tempo, laid back and relaxing. Our first day was spent biking around the town in the heat, along the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers, enjoying the interesting architecture. We also visited Ock Pop Tok (which means "East Meets West" in Lao), a social enterprise working primarily in the field of textiles, handicrafts and design.  This collaborative creates economic opportunities for artisans in rural locations in Laos.  We learned about silk worms and saw artisans weaving many intricate designs.

One of the many interesting exteriors seen along the way (Photo Credit: Becca) 

Photo Credit: Becca 

An example of the French influence on post-colonial Laos (Photo Credit: Becca)

An example of batik design at Ock Pop Tok (Photo credit: Becca)

The next day Mom, Emily, Sarah and I woke up at 4:45 am to go see the monks receiving alms at sunrise. After that, we climbed 328 stairs to the top of Mount Phousi, a tall hill in the middle of town. From the top of the hill we could see the entire valley shrouded in fog, including both rivers.  We watched the clouds lift from the surrounding hills, enjoyed some quiet meditation, and befriended a small cat. Later in the day we split into two groups. Emily and Mark rode bikes in the countryside, while Michelle, Sarah and I explored the many wats (temples) in town and relaxed and read at a riverside cafe. After regrouping later in the day, we all climbed Mount Phousi again at sunset to see the day end over Luang Prabang.

The monks receiving alms very early in the morning (Photo Credit: Becca)

The stupa on top of Mount Phousi (Photo Credit: Becca)

The view from the top of Mount Phousi at 6 am (Photo Credit: Becca)

Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham near the grounds of the National Museum (Photo Credit: Becca)

We went to bed early after a long day, and woke up early the next day for a drive into the countryside. We headed 30km out of town to hike to the Kuang Si waterfalls.  The falls were beautiful, with many levels and crystal clear blue water. We even had our toes nibbled on by fish!

We walked from the falls to a bear sanctuary. In Laos and China, sun bears and Asian black bears are caged and their bile havested. This bile is supposed to cure liver diseases, but this treatment is not as effective as herbal and synthetic remedies. The bear sanctuary outside of Luang Prabang rescues bears from such operations and nurses them back to health. We got to see over 10 bears, all hunting for food that was hidden around their enclosure. They were very cute! We also visited a nearby butterfly farm, where we got to see, hold and photograph butterflies local to Laos. Learning about the many different species of butterflies and their life cycles was very interesting, as was seeing the many beautiful plants and flowers on which the butterflies thrive.

One section of Kuang Si Falls (Photo Credit: Becca)

One of the many bears at the sanctuary, foraging for food hidden in the stump (Photo Credit: Becca)

A fuzzy mimosa flower! (Photo Credit: Becca)

A butterfly that I picked up (Photo credit: Becca)

Dad visits the "fish spa" at the butterfly garden and it tickles (Photo Credit: Becca)

All in all, we loved Luang Prabang's laid back air, the mix of French colonial and Laotian architecture, and the miles of hills and trees. Unfortunately, after four days we had to leave to fly to our next destination, Vietnam!

-Becca

One of the many beautiful blossoms in the lotus ponds around our hotel (Photo Credit: Becca)

A side alley worth exploring (Photo Credit: Becca)

An example of the architecture in Luang Prabang (Photo Credit: Becca)

A lotus at our hotel (Photo Credit: Becca)

Top 10 Surprises in Thailand

1. The cockroaches here are bigger than in New Jersey

2. Thai Cicadas chirp more loudly than in New Jersey

3. Everyone gets around on scooters -- without helmets -- including moms with babies strapped on their backs and shoppers bringing their flat screen TVs home from the store

4. Tropical rain rain is even heavier than imagined and resembles buckets full of water being dumped from the sky

5. Street food is sold everywhere - with food stands in every alley and on every country road

6. Ornate wats (temples) are everywhere - in every country town and many in each city

7. Animism is alive and well, and superstition still guides some people’s lives

8. Buddhist monks carry iPhones

9. Lane lines on roads are more of a suggestion than a rule.  This applies to both the lines between lanes going in the same direction and between lanes going in opposite directions.

10. Happy hour by the pool includes free massages (now THAT’s happy hour!)

- Michelle

Photo by Emily

Last Day in Chiang Mai

Today we didn't have anything special scheduled, so we spent our last day exploring Chiang Mai. Here are some photos from the day:

Supposedly the prettiest wat in Chiang Mai (Photo Credit: Becca)

The Elephant stupa (chedi) behind the wat above (Photo credit: Becca)

Another wat, Wat Chediluang (Photo Credit: Becca)

Three Kings Statue (Photo Credit: Becca)

The one thing I (Becca) wanted to see today, but no women were allowed in. (Photo Credit: Mark)

Tomorrow we are leaving Thailand, but we will be coming back in a few weeks. None of us can wait!

-Becca

Elephant Caretaker for a Day

Today we visited an elephant farm that focuses on elephant rescue, conservation and breeding.  The theme of the program was “Elephant Caretaker for a Day.”  We got to interact and care for the elephants, including feeding, checking their health, exercising and bathing.  The elephant is a very important animal in the Thai culture.  Historically used as a draft animal and in warfare, today using the elephant for work is no longer allowed. 

The day started with a drive out to the Patara Elephant farm.  We got to see their youngest elephant, which was only 1 month and 8 days old.  It only weighed 42 kg at birth vs. 75-85 kg for an average calf and was so short, the caretakers had to build a platform so it could reach its mother to nurse.

After a brief introduction by the director of the farm, we got down to business, feeding our elephants, learning some basic Thai commands, and checking their general health.  We started with observing some elephants being fed sugar cane and grass, and  then we each met our elephant and mahout. The interaction started with feeding the elephants a basket of sugar cane and bananas with a lump of tamarind, followed by a big bundle of grass.  The sounds when they crunch through the sugar cane is incredible!  The feeding technique is to hold up the food so the elephant can see it and saying “bone” (open) to get them to open their mouths and then you place the food in their mouth.  The elephants are quite happy to take the food right out of your hand or right out of the basket if you are slow.  Several of us had female elephants with younger calves and the calves stole the tamarind out of the basket almost immediately.  

 

Our next task was to conduct a health check on our elephant.  This was not a generally popular activity, as part of the check involved breaking apart some of our elephant’s dung and squeezing it vigorous to ensure there was enough moisture.  Not to mention smelling it and checking that the plant material was thoroughly digested.

Before mounting and riding, we cleaned the elephants off with big whisk-like brushes made from grass and washed them off with a hose.  The elephants seemed to enjoy the bath, but enjoyed eating the grass brushes more.   Once the elephants were clean and watered it was time to mount up.  We had traditional costumes to wear, and we went on a hour long ride to exercise the elephants.  This was fun, but not without occasional anxiety between the rough trail, our elephants bumping into each other, keeping our balance, the younger elephants crashing all over the place, and worrying our mahout guides were going to get trampled.

At the end of the trail, it was time to stop for a picnic feast, followed by skin care for our elephants, bathing them again in a pool a brushing them down.  Cleaning and brushing an elephant is a big job and takes quite awhile.    

There was an absolutely ungodly amount of food for lunch.  This is less than half of what there was for 8 people.    Fried chicken, pork satay, rambutan, mangosteen, oranges, bananas, fried bananas, multiple kinds of sticky rice, multiple sweets.  

Finally it was time for a brief ride back to the main road where we said goodbye to our elephant and mahout before the mahouts rode the elephants back to the farm.  My elephant reached out toward me with his trunk as my mahout rode him away.  There was a tear in his eye as he turned away.

Sarah with elephant and mahout

-Mark

Thai Chef for a Day

Today we ventured to a country village where we spent the day at a Thai cooking school.   A driver picked us up from our resort and drove us to an outdoor market.  At the market our instructor, who introduced herself as Pear, gave us a lesson on the basic ingredients used to prepare traditional Thai dishes, including herbs, spices, sauces and vegetables.  We also saw many colorful tropical fruits, live eels and catfish, and many varieties of rice.

Photo by Emily

After the market the driver took us to the train station, where we boarded an antique train for a ride to a small village in the countryside.  We arrived in the village before our driver, and while we were waiting we played in the park across the street from the station.  The park contained a full circuit of exercise equipment, including resistance and cardio machines.  After a brief and entertaining workout, the driver arrived and drove us to the cooking school.  

When we arrived at the cooking school we met the other students in our class, a couple from New Zealand and a young couple from Canada.  It was fun to meet other travellers and learn about their experiences and perspective on Thailand.  We enjoyed getting to know them throughout the day.

Pear gave us each a menu that had 4 or 5 dishes in each of 5 categories -- appetizer, soup, stir fry, curry, and dessert.   We each picked one dish from each category to prepare.  As a family we decided to each take a different dish so we could learn how to prepare -- and taste -- them all.  We then took a tour of the school’s “farm” - a large cooking garden that contained many of the ingredients we used to prepare our dishes.  It was interesting to learn about new ingredients such as longan fruit and banana blossom.  It was also interesting to see how the ingredients grew.

We spent the morning learning more about the ingredients and flavors that are used in Thai dishes, as well as the general techniques used to prepare the dishes.  We each had a cooking station with a cutting board and chef’s knife for preparation, and a second, individual station with a burner, wok, pot and utensils.  The set-up enabled us each to prepare our dishes in parallel, while observing and chatting with our fellow students.  Although I’ve done a fair amount of Thai cooking, including preparing some of the same dishes we made during the class, I learned new ingredients and techniques.  It was particularly interesting to learn how many common ingredients different dishes shared, and how making a few key changes could totally alter the taste and result in a completely different dish.  The entire cooking school was set in the garden, outdoors, a pleasant and authentic setting.

We spent the day alternating between preparing our dishes and sampling them, sitting together at a long table to eat, compare flavors, and chat.  It was great fun to taste each others’ creations! Around midday we had a break to bike around the village and enjoy the countryside.  We saw local homes and residents, chickens and dogs, fields and a creek, and the local wat.  After another round of cooking and dining we were each given a cookbook with recipes for all of the dishes we made, ensuring we can return home and practice our new Thai cooking skills.  (This made Michelle particularly happy, because now everyone can be chef for a day and take a turn preparing a Thai dinner on occasion.)

All photos credited to Emily

-Michelle

From Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai

Today we drove from Chiang Rai to the White Temple, or Wat Rong Khun. This wat was designed by artist Chalermchai Kositpipat 17 years ago. The symbolism surrounding this temple depicts Buddhist beliefs about the afterlife. After walking around, we then headed to Chiang Mai, a larger city a few hours to the southeast of Chiang Rai.

-Becca

We wrote a wish for our family and hung it on a wish tree within the wat 

All photos taken by Becca